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Monday, March 15, 2010
springing, further
It's that beautiful day that comes every March: the first lovely, sunny, springy day, the day when the kids and I head out in our shirtsleeves and start the garden going for the year. Add in a load of freshly washed clothes hanging in an even fresher breeze, and a dozen hens and one very nervous rooster clucking around freely in the warm grass, and this is maybe the best day of the year.
Today we cleaned out the few remaining stalks from last year, gathered up the odd bits of garbage (a defeated looking "boffer" weapon [google it], some planting trays, the old destroyed bathroom scale we used to weigh the weeds we pulled last year [don't ask].) Speaking of weeds, the chickens had done an excellent job keeping those down all winter. Seriously, it's worth having a few hens if for no other reason than that you can turn them out in the garden each day once you're done harvesting, and they'll eliminate the need to go in and weed in the spring. Try it; you'll like it.
Then we cultivated the raised beds and planted things in two of them. Joy joy joy! C repaired the pea trellis and carefully set in last year's peas along the base of it; I broadcast onion and carrot seeds into their bed; LT and I planted rows of spinach. Over the weekend, I'd already planted trays of tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in the house; they'll be going out after frost. Also still to come: crookneck squash, zucchini squash, zucchino rampicante, cucumbers, potatoes, corn, and I can't remember what-all else. I love this time of year so, so much. Have I mentioned that?
